There is something powerful about pitching yourself, your business or a new development to others. Whether you are trying to sell your business plan to a financial institution for funding, a major client to choose your business as a major vendor or selling yourself at a networking event, it takes confidence, preparation and style to pitch well.

Every time I watch the popular show Shark Tank, I empathize with the entrepreneurs entering the “tank” full of tough business gurus hoping one of them will “bite” on their business so they can gain financial backing to take their company to the next level. What I’ve learned is every entrepreneur must know their numbers, talk about its track record, know their market, and have nerves of steel to pitch in front of the sharks.

Most women entrepreneurs will never appear in the real Shark Tank asking for millions but every day we are in some type of “shark tank” pitching what we offer to others. We would be wise to remember what the TV sharks demand and make sure we know our own answers.

Can you answer these questions:

* Your company’s sales figures for the last 1-5 years
* Your target market
* The cost to produce your product or service and its profit per unit
* Why your product is unique to the market
* How you distribute what you sell

If you are preparing to pitch anything you are selling in 2015, make sure you know the answers to these questions. If you don’t, take time now before the year begins to find out the answers.

I challenge you today to prepare your “Shark Tank” pitch and uncover the answers to these questions so you can market your business anytime you need to in 2015.